Marine biologist and blogger WhySharksMatter presents the latest in his award-winning "ethical debate" series, showcasing a "hot topic" from the environmental movement, presenting both sides, and asking readers to argue it out in the comments. Since his readership includes scientists, politicians, and leaders from the environmental movement, these discussions are always interesting, and this one is sure to generate some strong opinions.

WhySharksMatter is claiming in this ethical debate that North Atlantic Right Whales, one of the most endangered animals on Earth, are going to go extinct whether or not we help them, and therefore we should stop wasting so much of the environmental movement’s limited resources on protecting them.

“For the sake of this debate, I will concede the following points (i.e. there is no need to debate them any further).

* Right whales are a unique and interesting animal. They, like us, are mammals.

* Without our protection, they will certainly go extinct

* It is undeniably, 100% our fault that they are so endangered in the first place”

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From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by whysharksmatter.

Tamarins are considered highly endangered in the wild yet they are an increasingly popular pet amongst those who wish to purchase a NHP (Non-Human Primate).

Do you want to help save the Tamarins? Why not adopt one as a pet? Here’s the pros and cons:

Captive bred Tamarins can be hugely rewarding pets and can form a real bond with their owner that will be cherished for many years. The rewards of owning one can be manifold. The real question is not whether this is the right pet for you. The real question is whether or not you are the right owner.

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From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by taliesyn30.

I’ve seen some weird animals online, but Webecoist always manages to find new oddities that still blow my mind. The one above is a giant coconut crab. I wonder if they taste any good.

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